


She's Coming in, 12:30 Flight

by maddiebug



Series: Africa by Toto [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: But also, F/M, I love africa by toto, Long Distance Relationship, Post Reveal, Secrets, adrienette - Freeform, i live miraculous
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-15 07:01:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21249341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maddiebug/pseuds/maddiebug
Summary: When Adrien gets a call from his ex girlfriend, the last thing he expects her to ask is for him to pick up her and her new boyfriend from the airport.





	1. She's Coming in

**Author's Note:**

> The First part is italics b/c its a flashback and a stylistic choice

_"Adrien, I love you."_

_He shook his head. "That doesn't make sense."_

_"We need some time apart." Marinette smiled. "Maybe this internship will be a good thing."_

_"But I love you."_

_"I love you too."_

_"So why can't this be a long distance relationship?"_

_"Those never work out. We should end it on a good note."_

_Adrien raised his eyebrows. "If we end this, it won't be a good note."_

_"Look, I like you."_

_"I like you too."_

_"Let me finish." Marinette waved her hand. "I like you a lot Adrien Agreste, but we're both kinda a mess."_

_"Agreed."_

_"I think we need to take some time to figure out ourselves."_

_"But I don't know who I am without you!"_

_"That's not a healthy relationship. We're codependent, have been since we were kids."_

_"That's not a bad thing."_

_"It is. We have to figure out how to function on our own for a while."_

_"I guess, but I don't want to break up with you."_

_"Then, once we can get our lived together, I'd really like to try us again."_

_Adrien placed his head in his hands. "I thought we were meant to be. Soulmates. Yin and yang."_

_"Maybe we are. But maybe we aren't."_

_"But the miraculous-"_

_"-The miraculous mean we make a good team. And we do." She frowned. "I just don't know if it's a romantic team."_

_"Is there anything I can do to change your mind?"_

_"Grow up." She bit her cheek. "That sounded harsh, sorry. Both of us are stuck in the past. It's impossible not to be, when I'm with you. We need some time apart to become stronger, independent people."_

_"Then we can try again?"_

_"I'd really like to." Marinette smiled. "And this internship is only a year long. Ill visit for holidays."_

_"Are you going to be okay?"_

_"Ill be fine."_

_"You've been acting weird lately. Emotional, weird cravings-"_

_"I'm fine."_

_Adrien pointed to her plate of half-eaten croissants. "Are you sure?"_

_"I think so." She looked down at her stomach. "I'm good."_

_He grabbed one of her hands with his. "I'll miss you every second."_

_"I'll miss you more."_

_Adrien smiled. "It's going to be a long year."_

_"You have no idea."_

_..._

Marinette's internship lasted a year. True to her word, she visited a few times on holidays, but she always managed to miss Adrien. And, after a year she didn't move back. She got a job in the sewing room at the same fashion company. A few mistakes fixed and corrections pointed out, and Marinette had a spot as junior designer of the same company.

Marinette and Adrien quickly fell out of touch. They were Facebook friends, but not much else. Adrien was still close with Nino and Alya, but they didn't talk about their old friend much.

Adrien meanwhile, was living in an apartment. He became an elementary school teacher. He taught kindergarteners to read and write. It was the perfect balance of education and playtime. He loved to tell stories and was great at math. The kids loved his jokes.

One summer, five years after Marinette had left, Adrien was setting up his classroom for the school year. He had posters on the walls of the alphabet and the numbers and how to wash hands.

He finished typing up a first day of school syllabus, arranging the desks and ordering the books by color. Kindergartners, as it turned out, didn't care about the Dewy Decimal System, and barely understood alphabetical order.

He got out supplies to make nametags for each desk. He was given an alphabetized list of all of his students for the following year.

The first one took a few tries before Adrien liked how it looked. First his letters were too loopy. Then they looked too square. Finally he found a balance, and the nametag for Jaques Aaron was complete.

One down, twenty-three to go. Adrien powered Madeleine Abbot without a hitch, but dropped his marker when he saw the next name.

Adrien had to blink to make sure it wasn't a joke. He rubbed his eyes and it was still there, taunting him.

_Emelie Agreste._

That had been his mother's name. She had died when he was very young, and seeing the name made his eyes water. 

It felt like a cruel trick. 

Like some sort of karma. 

The universe must've decided to hate Adrien, because he saw that name and started to cry. His years smudged the paper, making the parent contact information unreadable. 

What a shame. He would have liked to tell them that their child had a beautiful name.

Adrien finished the nametags and was going to start on labeling cabinets when his phone rang. 

It was much more interesting than the cupboards. He picked it up without looking at the caller I.D. "Hello?"

"Hey, can I ask a favor of you."

"I'm sorry, but who is this?"

The other voice giggled. "Do you really not recognize me?"

Adrien frowned. "Are you sure you have the right number?"

"I'm pretty sure, I do Adrien. Look, I know it's been a while-"

"Marinette?" He gasped. 

"I'm sorry I didn't call."

"I should've called you too. You weren't the only one who kept their distance."

"But I started it."

"Well, I wanted to let you know that we're going to be seeing a lot of each other soon."

"We are?"

"Yeah." She paused. "I'm moving back to Paris!"

He was speechless. "That's great Mari. I can't wait to see you."

"That's the thing..."

"What?"

"I kinda need a ride from the airport." Adrien could picture her blush.

"Why can't your parents do it?"

"Its a really late flight. And they have to wake up early for bread."

"Early to bread and early to rise-"

"You really haven't changed much, have you kitty."

"You'd be surprised." He smiled into the phone. "Okay, what time does the flight land?"

"12:30."

"Midnight?"

"Yeah."

"Whoa. That is late."

"And, just making sure, you have two seats in your car, right?"

"Yeah..why?"

"I have a special friend with me."

"You do?" That wasn't even subtle Marinette had a boyfriend.

"Yeah. It's someone who I want you to meet. Both of you guys are so important to me."

Adrien could feel his face turning red. "Can't wait to see you and your friend." He couldn't believe that she had the audacity to ask him, her ex, to pick up her and her new boyfriend. 

Adrien would do anything for Marinette. He wasn't going to abandon her in her time of need. 

He was, however, going to make a very passive aggressive spotify playlist targeting her boyfriend.

After finishing the nametags, he started the playlist with "Gives you Hell," by the All-American Rejects.

The day passed quickly, and before Adrien was done with the playlist, debating whether or not to add "Girlfriend," by Avril Lavigne, it was time for him to go home.

* * *


	2. 12:30 flight

Adrien parked his car outside the airport and called Marinette. "Hey, where are you at?"

"I'm at the baggage claim." There was some mumbling in the background. "No, we're not getting candy. Not you Adrien. Ugh... What door are you at?"

Adrien looked around. "Uhh. It says door #7."

"What kind of car do you have?"

"Its a red Honda,"

"I remember that car."

"Yeah. I've had this baby forever."

"Speaking of babies..."

"Yeah?"

"Nevermind. I'm on my way." She hung up.

Adrien took a breath. He could feel his hands shaking. It was ridiculous. He had no reason to be nervous. 

And she had her special person anyways. 

Adrien plugged in his phone and pulled up the playlist when he saw Marinette approaching his car.

He got out and gave her a big hug. "Marinette I'm so glad to see you. It feels like its been forever."

"It really does." There were tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I shouldve come back sooner."

"You had a job and great opportunity. I missed you, but I'm sure it was amazing."

"It was, but I should've told you..."

"Told me what?" Adrien frowned. "Weren't you supposed to have a friend with you?"

"She's yours."

"What?"

She stepped to the side. Behind Marinette, for the first time, Adrien could clearly see a little girl. Blonde hair and blue eyes. The spitting image of his mother.

"Adrien, this is Emma."

"I don't understand." He took a step back.

"You're her father."

Adrien shook his head. "I don't -"

Emma smiled. "I'm so excited to meet you!"

Adrien took a breath and completely changed his demeanor. "It's great to meet you. I'm Adrien, your mom's friend."

"Mom talks about you a lot."

"Does she? I'm definitely going to talk to her a lot later."

"Yeah. She says that she loves you but it's complicated-"

"Emma!" Marinette chuckled. "She's just saying stuff."

"We are going to talk. Tonight Marinette."

"Yeah. We should."

Adrien smiled at Emma. "Welcome to Paris. I hope you like it."

"Mama told me that we're going to stay here for a while."

"Great!" Adrien didn't know how to respond, and started helping load bags into his back end.

"I'm going to go to school here."

"That's so awesome. I actually teach kindergarten at-" Adrien paused, the wheels in his head turning. "Is your full name Emilie?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"I saw your name on a list. I'm gonna be your teacher this year."

"I had no idea." Marinette shook her head.

"Clearly. We didn't keep in touch." Adrien smiled at Emma again. "This is going to be interesting." 

"I'm excited."

After all three passengers were buckled into the car, Adrien turned to Marinette. "Are you staying with your parents?"

"Actually," she blushed. "I was hoping I could maybe stay with you? Just for a few weeks, until I can get an apartment. Alya said you were looking for a roommate."

"Did she?" Adrien grit his teeth. "I did say that, didn't I. And I can't refuse a friend. You're welcome to stay for as long as you need."

"Thank you so much-"

He cut her off. "As long as you explain."

"What do you mean?"

"Cut the crap Mari. Why didn't you tell me about Emma?"

She glared. "This is a talk for later. Not in front of her."

"Fine."

The rest of the ride was spent in mostly silence, Adrien's anti-boyfriend playlist seeming awkward now.

After Marinette put Emma to sleep in the guest bedroom, Adrien poured them each a glass of wine. 

He sighed. "What the hell, Dupain-Cheng?"

"What do you mean?"

"You left. You ghosted me. For like five years. You could've told me about her at any point. Why now?"

"Because I love you."

"If you loved me, you would've told me about her. Why now?"

"She needs a good father figure in her life."

"I never had one and look how I ended up."

"Look, Adrien, I know I messed up. I kept visiting every holiday, hoping to run into you."

"I'd go to the bakery and ask if you were around, you always were "out with friends."" Adrien shook his head. "You could've sent a text "

"Too impersonal."

"A letter?"

"Old fashioned. This has to be done in person."

"It's a little late for that, don't you think?"

"What do you mean?"

"You hid Emma from me for years."

"Its not like that."

"Really? Then what is it like?"

Marinette didn't have a response.

"Listen. She seems like a great kid."

"Our kid."

"There is no us." Adrien shook his head. "Not anymore."

"You can't abandon your daughter."

"I won't. Ill do everything I can to love and support her, but-" Adrien frowned. "I used to love you."

"You still could."

"When you kept this a secret for so long? I don't know if ill ever love you again."

"What are you saying."

"We'll be civil for Emma. But US, you and I, we're over."

"You said you'd wait forever."

"That was before you lied to me."

Marinette looked at the clock. "Its 2am we should sleep."

"I don't know how you can sleep so easily knowing you kept her from me for years."

"You'd be surprised at how many things I sleep through, Chaton."

"I'm Adrien. You don't get to call me any pat names. Not anymore." He sighed. "Ill get you a pillow and blanket."

"What?"

"You can sleep with Emma or on the couch."

"But you-"

"I have to get up for work. And I'm not sleeping with you."

"I'm sorry."

"Maybe someday, ill believe you."

**Author's Note:**

> In case you're wondering, he did add it to the playlist.
> 
> I hope you liked it so far, let me know what you think. Also I split it into two chapters because it's pretty long.


End file.
